During their 1948 War for Independence, Israeli Jews adopted a phrase to hearten one another no matter how gloomy a situation appeared. "Yihye tov," they would say in Hebrew, meaning "It will be good." The words gradually became a talisman against any troubles, and they were invoked frequently during the Six-Day War —whose third anniversary comes this week. Now, however, the phrase has been amended. "Yihye beseder" or roughly, "It will be O.K." The difference seems slight, but it is not. Confidence has given way to a nagging note of uncertainty. Things may be O.K., but they will not be all that good.
Three years of unresolved hostility help account for the change. Every border settlement exists under the gun. This week it is the frontier with Lebanon (see following story). Next week it might be the border with Syria. The greatest cause of concern, however, is the big Soviet buildup in Egypt and what the Israelis regard as a timid U.S. response —though Washington last week began talking considerably tougher.
Growing Presence. Since early spring, the Russians have switched roles from protector of the Egyptians to participant in the hostilities. The Soviet presence has multiplied from 4,000 military advisers and technicians to 10,000 and is still growing. At least 250 Russian pilots, by Israeli count, are flying MIGs with Egyptian markings, and at least 25 SA3 missile sites are spotted around Cairo, Alexandria and the Aswan High Dam. The U.S. does not quarrel with Israel about the accuracy of those figures —just about their meaning. Up to now, Washington has considered the Russian threat less imminent than has Israel.
At first, the Russians and their Arab allies denied reports of an expanded Soviet presence. Now, that presence is far too visible to be denied. Speaking last week in Khartoum, capital of the Sudan, Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser declared that Soviet technicians are serving with Egyptian forces "everywhere." Said he: "This, dear brothers, is how we have been able to stand fast and face Israel. This is how, dear brothers, we have been able to rebuild the strong army that stands at the front today."
The meaning of that statement was entirely clear to Sudanese Strongman Major General Jaafar Nemery, who, celebrating the first anniversary of the coup that brought him to power in Khartoum, had asked Nasser to join the festivities. Nemery has admitted 1,000 Soviet military advisers and economic technicians to Sudan. Several are training his pilots to fly MIG-21s. East Germany, meanwhile, provides advisers for Nemery's increasingly elaborate internal-security program.